What is wrong with my puppy? (Black Lab/Blue Tick Hound mix)?

Question

Hi!

So my husband brings home a 12 week old lab/hound mix puppy yesterday. I have never owned a dog, so I am kind of at a lost as to what may be wrong with it. We were in the kitchen and my puppy started to do this breathless coughing. I actually thought it was going to throw up. Then, I thought maybe he was choking. So I got on the floor and held him in my lap. I called to my husband and said, "I think he needs to go to the vet. When my husband came out, the puppy stopped coughing. Then he went to his bowl, ate some food for a minute, then went in the corner and peed on my floor.

He did not even try to hide it or anything. Is this normal for a puppy?

Was my puppy choking, just had hiccups or was he trying to vomit? And in all honesty, I have never heard him bark either. Do you think he is unable to? Do you think my puppy was barking (without sound).

Please... I could use any advice you have about puppies and raising them. Thanks!

Thanks Everyone!!! All the answers were amazing and so helpful!!! My puppy is sweet and lovable and want to do the best I can with him. I appeciate all of you for helping me make that possible.

With so many great answers, it was too hard for me to choose a best. So I am sending this question to vote.

Thanks again...
T.

Answer 1

Your puppy is stressed. This is a traumatic time for him - moving to a new home with strangers who are a different species from him. The coughing is probably a sign of that.

You'll have to train him - positive reinforcement - snacks and attaboys for good behavior, and ignore him for bad behavior (comparable to a time-out for kids). Make sure he has a place that he knows is his - a den of some sort. This will increase his comfort level to have his own safe place.

Answer 2

Blue Tick Hound Puppy

Answer 3

I have owned several of both, mostly Redtick's, but their isn't very much difference if any between the two. In the 1930's thru the 1970's many different breeds were bred to Bluetick's, Treeing Walker's, English (Redtick), and Black and Tan's. These crosses were made in order to put more brainpower in the hounds and Nose (smelling ability). Natural they got good hunting dogs and in many cases smarter ones, but as a pet they will be humble pets that are smart and in most cases good watch dogs. They won't normally be a dog that will bite but will most like bark some at strangers. Also they should be smart. Labs are usually smarter than hounds but hounds are very intelligent too. If I wanted a good pet, I would like that mix, especially around children.

Answer 4

It could be kennel couch if he was with a lot of other dogs before coming to you. You should find out which, if any, of his puppy shots he has had. Go ahead and take him to a vet so that you can get a relationship built between the dog and the vet. Sometimes dogs will eat something funny and hack until they dis.lodge it from their throat...that's not much to worry about, sometimes tey vomit with it, sometimes they don't. In regards to the peeing in the house, that's comletely normal at that age. You should get him a crate that is just big enough for him to stand up and turn around in...any bigger and he will be able to pee on one side and sit on the other. If it's small then he will likely hav eon accident and realize he has to sit in it, and won't do it again. Positive reinforcement is a great way to train him for going outside. I wouldn't do treats though, eventually he will want you to take him outside and bring him in, just so he can have a treat. The best thing to do is watch him outside and while he s going, say something like, "Good potty"...then you can give affection. It's pointless to correct him after he's done it...you must catch him in the act of the bad behavior and correct it immediately. A great show to watch is the Dog Whisperer...watching and learning can help prevent a lot of problems. The shows are also on DVD and Cesar has a book out now. I have been around dogs all of my life, but have worked in a grooming shop for a couple of years and have worked with dog trainers, and have been petsitting also. I would also start your puppy in some kind of puppy class...this will help with basic obedience, and help build the bond between puppy and owner.
Let me know if you have any other questions.

Answer 5

Sounds like kennel cough. He needs to see a vet to get a thorough exam, along with a stool check for parasites. As soon as the vet gives the OK, he needs his shots for protection and neutering by 6 months. Since he has hound in him, his instincts to run when he smells a female in heat are stronger since he has the hound sniffer.

Make an appointment ASAP so he can get on the right path to a happy, healthy new start. In the meantime, do not expose him to any other dogs (don't go for a walk, the park, a pet store, etc, as kennel cough is highly contagious when not vaccinated against). Good luck with the new pup. You'll have a friend for life.

Answer 6

Your puppy is stressed out being in a new place, with new people.
As for the peeing: you need to potty train your dog, they are not born with this knowledge, although it would be easier if they were.
Take him outside every 1/2 hour and tell him "GO POTTY" this will teach him that phrase. When he goes potty throw him a party, get excited, tell him "GOOD POTTY", "GOOD BOY", then give him a treat, and repeat.
As for the coughing it could be kennel cough, and he didn't need to be in a kennel to get it. Or it could be that he has worms, or heart worms( kind of young for that though.). You should take him to the vet for a check up, and if he is in good health get him all of his puppy shots, and lyme shot, bordatella shots (kennel cough), and heart worm tested, and preventitive.

Then get him a crate and crate train him, before he starts teething and chews you out of house and home. Throw a soft chewy treat into the crate and close the door. Good boy, good crate. Feed him in his crate, and that will become his safe haven, and den.
For chewing get him nylabones, don't use raw hide, they can get a chunk off big enough to cause a blockage, and more of the raw hides made outside the USA are made with anthrax cattle. The same goes for pig snouts, pig ears, hooves, and cow hooves.
Do NOT give steak bones, pork bones, chicken bone, turkey bones, lamb bone, etc.
I hope this has helped. Good luck, and congratulation on becoming a new mommy.

Answer 7

Thats so sweet. You seem so innocent about dogs. The couphing was probably due to food or something stuck in his throat. It was couphing, thats it. Your puppy sound perfectly normal. The peeing without hiding it is normal too. To him its natural to pee when you have to. He hasnt been trained on the do's and dont's. You really dont want him to hide it from you. Thats when the problems start. I paper train then move it out the door little by little till its on the patio and finally in the yard where I want them to go. Im including some links to help with the potty training. Big dogs are really very easy to train. In less then a week in my experiance with big dogs. Just depends on the dogs age. Your lucky, you got a green dog with a clean slate. You can pretty much teach anything without any old habits getting in the way. Congratulations on the new puppy, they really are wonderful once you get the hang of it.

Answer 8

My eight week old Golden does the same thing. My dad's 1 year old Basset does the same thing. Several times I have taken him (my Golden) outside because I thought he was going to vomit. I know exactly what you're talking about. I freaked out and called my vet, and she said there was nothing to worry about. He's done it since I got him two weeks ago, and he's healthy as anything. I think it's just hair or something ticklish caught in their throats.

Don't take my word for the health of your dog!! Call your vet!! Good luck, and I hope there's really nothing wrong. :)

Answer 9

Some vets call that a "reverse sneeze" but it's basically because their trachea had a spasm, and in a way, sort of closed up on them... It's not harmful, and infact, quite common, especially in smaller dogs, but I've seen large breeds get it as well. You don't need to take them to the vet for it, there's nothing really you can do, except keep them calm and wait it out. You'll notice it more when they get excited. On my smaller dog, sometimes opening their mouth helps, but sometimes not, so I wouldn't worry about it.

But do take him to the vet and get puppy shots ASAP, that's important...

Also, in raising a new puppy, it's a good idea to crate train them, in that at night you make them sleep in a dog crate, and in the morning, right away, let them outside to pee where you want them to. They eventually learn where you want them to pee and out of habit, go there. 15 minutes after a meal, let them out to the spot and tell them "go potty" or some other similar command. Never rub their nose in their poo or pee if they made a mistake. It will only hinder their training. If they make a mistake, (especially poo) take it outside where you would like them to go, show it to them, and praise them. Whenever they go in the right spot, praise them like crazy... Eventually, they'll get it... The main thing is to be consistant, never give in, and you be the boss, not them...

They'll also cry when you put them in the crate at night, but it will only last for a few days untill they get used to it, and then, after a while will go in willingly. I started my puppies by always giving them a treat as they go in their crate. Anyway, goodluck!

Answer 10

Some thing could be wrong with the puppy they need shots to keep them form getting some disease.There is a coughing that they get from being in a kenel to much.